


El MAYarah Fest Prompt Fill Collection

by CycloneRachel



Category: Batwoman (TV 2019), Krypton (TV 2018), Legion of Super Heroes (TV), Supergirl (TV 2015)
Genre: Angst, Challenge Response, Crisis on Infinite Earths Crossover Event (CW DC TV Universe), Fluff, Friendship, Gen, One Shot Collection, Originally Posted on Tumblr, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Other Fandoms Not Mentioned in Tags, Other additional characters to be added, Season/Series 04, Supergirl (TV 2015) Season 3
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-03
Updated: 2020-05-02
Packaged: 2021-03-01 05:28:13
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 31
Words: 17,302
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23466112
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CycloneRachel/pseuds/CycloneRachel
Summary: a collection of short fics based on the "El MAYarah" prompt listTo be posted daily from April 1st to May 1st, 2020
Relationships: Alex Danvers & Kara Danvers, Alex Danvers & Querl Dox, Kara Danvers & Alura In-Ze | Alura Zor-El, Kara Danvers & Kate Kane, Kara Danvers & Nia Nal, Kara Danvers & Querl Dox, Kara Danvers/Querl Dox, Kara Danvers/William Dey, Querl Dox & Lex Luthor, Querl Dox & Winn Schott Jr., Querl Dox/Winn Schott Jr.
Comments: 119
Kudos: 34





	1. Prompt 1: Team Up

**Author's Note:**

> Day 1 prompt: Team Up
> 
> based on the Superhero Fight Club promo videos, set at a vague point in season 4

“You still have not told us why you brought us to Earth-1, Kara.”

Kara smiled back at the both of them, as they stepped onto the elevator together.

“That’s because it’s a surprise. And really, you two are lucky- when it was time for my initiation, I was kidnapped.”

Brainy and Nia stared at one another, then back at her.

“Don’t worry, it’s safe. And it’s going to be fine- trust me.”

“We do.”

“Good. I figured, since you two are officially part of the Super-friends now, you could use a real welcome. And there was no other way to get that, other than here.”

“What about J’onn? Shouldn’t he be here too?” Nia asked.

“Oh, he already knows.” Kara said as the doors chimed open. “Welcome to Superhero Fight Club.”

“As in, the only rule of fight club is “you don’t talk about fight club”?” Brainy remarked. “I see.”

“Yeah, kind of that.” Kara answered. “Except here, we have a couple more rules. But I think I should introduce you to everyone first. Follow me.”

The “fight club” facility looked to be a large, spacious, and mostly empty octagonal room- similar to the training rooms Querl had seen at the DEO. The only light was blue, and came from the ceiling and what looked like long vertical lamps around the room. There was also what looked like a room set above them, and a covered hole in the ceiling.

“Sorry for short notice.” Kara apologized. “I know you’re all really busy, but…”

“It’s okay, Kara. Don’t worry, we always have time for this. It’s what this room is here for- and besides, it’s been way too long.”

“Who’re your friends?”

“I was just about to get to that. Everyone, meet Brainiac 5- or Brainy, as his friends call him- and Dreamer. Brainy and Dreamer, this is… oh wow, there are a lot of you. Um…”

“Why don’t we go by teams? I’ll start- I’m the Flash, and this is Killer Frost, Elongated Man, and XS- Vibe is up there working on this whole thing.”

“Green Arrow. Spartan, Black Canary, Wild Dog, Mr. Terrific, Black Siren. Same thing as Vibe for Overwatch.”

“White Canary. On my team is Zari- she doesn’t have a codename-, the Atom, Heatwave, Constantine, Steel, Charlie, Mona, and Nora- again no codenames. Gideon and Ava are up there helping Team Tech.”

“Hey! Another Nora!” said someone in a purple costume.

“Nice to meet you.” Nora Dahrk answered, shaking her hand, before a voice from overhead interrupted.

“Now that we’ve gotten introductions out of the way, let’s get things started, shall we?”

Music started playing as what looked like a large sphere lowered from the ceiling, and everyone looked up, tensing.

“Do you always play Earth’s traditional ballads during your fight club matches?” Brainy asked.

“Traditional ballads?”

“He’s from the future.” Kara said in explanation, and both Noras nodded in understanding- but they didn’t have time to talk.

“There are only a few rules. One, you gotta break the rules if you want to survive.”

“Don’t worry, nobody’s died here-“

“That ruins the fun. Two…”

“Well, as I would say, _El Mayarah_. Or, basically, we’re stronger together- we have to team up if we’re going to take down whatever they throw at us.”

“Got it.”

“Affirmative.”

“So, are you ready?”

“I suppose we have no choice but to be.”

“In other words, bring it on!”


	2. Prompt 2: "Take my hand"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompt 2: "Take my hand"
> 
> Featuring Kate and Kara, set at the end of Crisis part 2

Kate found Kara in the Waverider’s cargo bay.

“Figured you could use a drinking buddy.” Kate said. “I certainly could, after what we just saw.”

Kara barely looked up, didn’t smile.

“Thanks.” She said, as she accepted a bottle, and Kate opened her own.

“That stuff doesn’t work on you, does it?”

“Not usually.” Kara answered, taking a long sip. “But… thank you, anyway.”

“No problem.” Kate said.

They drank in silence together, for a moment, before Kate spoke again.

“Take my hand.”

“What?” Kara asked. But she did it anyway, and Kate held hers, gently brushing her thumb over the back of Kara’s hand, as Kara slowly looked at her.

“I’m sorry, about everything you saw.” She said. “I… I can’t believe my cousin was responsible for all of that. That he got so…”

“Bitter?”

“Hopeless.” Kate said. “Enough to kill Superman. I mean, I don’t know your cousin, but from how you talked about him, I’d guess even that version of him didn’t deserve that.”

“Definitely not.” Kara agreed.

“And I’m sorry that you had to see your world being destroyed.” Kate continued, wrapping an arm around her. “Both of them. I can’t even imagine how that feels- you must be devastated.”

Kara nodded.

“I… it feels like I can’t cry any more about it.” She said. “I mean, I want to- I just got my mother and the city I was born in back, and losing them again would already be too much even without my Earth being gone too- but maybe because it just happened or because so many things like this have already happened, there’s… just nothing there anymore.”

“I get it.” Kate answered. “And I know we don’t have a lot of time left, but I’m always here if you want to talk about anything. Whether it’s what you’ve lost, or not.”

“You too.” Kara said. “And I’m sorry also- I mean; Bruce isn’t my cousin. I know seeing what he became had to take a lot out of you.”

It was her turn to hold Kate’s hand, and for Kate to lean her head on Kara’s shoulder.

“I don’t know what’s gonna happen.” Kate said. “But no matter what, we’re going to save the universe. And we’ll do it together.”

“You can count on it, Paragon of Courage.” Kara answered.

 _Not courageous enough to tell you I kept Bruce’s Kryptonite_ , Kate thought, guilt feeling like it was piercing her chest.

“Thank you. And I’ve got your back, Paragon of Hope. I promise.”

“Right back at you.”


	3. Prompt 3: "Don't Go"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> prompt 3: "Don't Go"
> 
> Featuring Kara and Alura, set during 3x20

When Alura heard the Kelex caretakers alerting of an intrusion in Krypton’s memorial, she never expected to see her daughter again.

But there she was- and accompanied by the Prince of Daxam, no less. She had grown up, as expected in the time since Alura had seen her off to Earth (even if she had also seen her getting stuck in the Phantom Zone), and when Alura hugged her, it felt like she was holding someone completely different.

She was still Kara Zor-El, however. She still knew her mother’s name, and though she was older, being around her felt familiar.

It comforted her, knowing that Kara had been safe for so many years. Knowing that she’d gotten another life, with a family that hadn’t let her down like she and Zor-El had. She even had a sister, who Kara spoke about with as much love as Alura used to speak about Astra.

(Before their family was torn apart, before Astra went too far in the pursuit of saving Krypton from itself. Alura had realized too late that she was right- but it seemed as though Kara had recognized that there was good in her as well, and even though Astra had passed on, it would be to a good place)

Without the Kryptonian robes Alura had first seen her in, Kara explained, she wore the symbol of the House of El proudly, as any good Kryptonian would wear theirs. The humans called her Supergirl, and she stood for hope, help, and compassion for all- defending the innocent and fighting for justice, especially when it was difficult, even though she did her best to make violence her last resort and preferred communication first.

There was no question that Alura still had a lot to learn about Kara’s new life, and the planet Earth, and what she’d gone through, just as Kara could learn so much about Alura and what she and the other citizens of Argo had to do to survive- what she was still doing, with the rest of the Kryptonian council. But Alura thanked Rao her daughter had survived, and still loved her as much as she had when she’d last seen her.

In her- especially as she stood before the council- she saw the legacy of Krypton. Her own legacy, as well as that of Zor-El, and even her brother-in-law Jor-El and his family. They had both adapted and changed, since they had last saw each other, but they were still survivors. Both refugees, who held onto the world they had both loved, who kept it in their hearts long after it was destroyed.

She could let her daughter go again, and did, this time knowing her hope lived on- touching so many people, impacting so many lives and giving them a glimpse at Rao’s light, shining through Kara herself as she was strengthened by Earth’s yellow sun. Alura was confident in her, as she gave Kara a piece of the Harun-El, knowing that she would use it to save lives just as Alura had herself.

But when Kara looked back at her mother, just for a moment, Alura imagined a world where she didn’t have to leave. Where, just for a little while longer, Earth didn’t need Supergirl, and Kara Zor-El could live on a world that recognized and understood that name.

 _Don’t go,_ Alura thought, selfishly.

And just as she had, Kara turned away from her mother, and the selfish feeling was replaced by the hope that this wouldn’t be their first reunion.


	4. Prompt 4: Wonder

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> set during 3x10

There was no question that Querl knew of Supergirl, before he first met her.

And he knew that, once he and Imra (and Mon-El, unaware that their waking up in Supergirl’s century would be anything other than an accident) managed to get their Legion cruiser to the twenty-first century, interacting with her and working alongside her would be a necessity in stopping Pestilence, before she became the blight that was responsible for destroying so many lives. It was such a plague that necessitated a drastic plan to begin with, and the reason why they would risk changing their timeline at all.

It was a good reason, and Querl was prepared to take the risks that he needed to, so the rest of their friends would live- but what he wasn’t prepared for was the variable of the twenty-first century. Specifically, what was going on at the time, as that factor was unknown, and that in a twist of fate, he would end up being woken up one month and seven days after Mon-El and Imra were.

He was also unprepared to wake up to a world where Supergirl was in a coma, where he was the only one who could communicate with her and relay messages between her and the outside world, where all her friends were waiting. They watched him, Alex and J’onn and Winn- people he was aware of as well, but didn’t know the importance of- and expected much of him.

(Mon-El had certainly ensured that, as once Querl was conscious and aware of his surroundings, he introduced him as the smartest person he knew, who could literally do anything he set his mind to.)

They were counting on him to help Supergirl- to help Kara, more accurately, and through how they reacted when she was so hurt, he could see how much they cared about her and were affected by losing her, even temporarily.

He understood that, as one of his thought tracks was occupied with talking with her, and another was focused on them. And as the day went on, and he watched each of them, there was nobody who spent more time with her than Alex.

He didn’t have any siblings. Certainly not.

But he had seen, for example, how Garth and Imra were around theirs, and sometimes (although he wouldn’t wish his parents’ treatment of himself on anyone else) he imagined what things would be like if he had one, just as an experiment of thought.

And, though he hadn’t known it when he first imagined such situations, if he had a sibling, he would want them to be like Alex Danvers.

From the first time he spoke with her, Querl saw her dedication to Kara’s safety. Her determination to fight for Kara, no matter what it cost her- even, as he discovered, after she broke her leg and he assisted in healing her. Her strength, in physicality and in will, as she pushed forward throughout her sister’s incapacitation.

But also (which perhaps inspired the most wonder in him, as he watched her speak to Kara alone) how much love she had for Kara. How she was willing to confess that she made a mistake, in the advice she gave her, and how she regretted what she’d said, even taking the blame on herself.

(if only his father regretted inhibiting him, in the same way that Alex even mentioned suggesting that Kara should be more alien during the battle that put her in a coma)

He didn’t know the full context of the fight between Kara and Reign. But he understood what she felt sorry for, and knew then that if he was going to truly get through to Kara Danvers, it would be through her humanity- and, through the personification of her humanity, her love for her sister.

Yes, Querl had known of Supergirl. But in the end, he walked away with more admiration and wonder inspired by both Danvers sisters, and the bond that they shared with one another in any circumstance.


	5. Prompt 5: Family Matters

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> day 5, prompt 5: Family Matters

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> so I actually did 2 fics for this one, one a semi-crossover with Syfy's Krypton series (tragically underrated, sadly cancelled) because today is the birthday of Cameron Cuffe, who portrayed the lead of that show, and the other set in the universe of the animated Legion of Super-Heroes series (again, underrated and cancelled before its time) because today is also the anniversary of that series's finale. I hope you enjoy them!

Kara’s father wakes her up one day, early in the morning.

“Kara?” he asks. “I think it’s time I show you something special. Follow me.”

She does, and takes the cloak he offers her, covering herself with it and going with him into her family’s skimmer, as it takes the two of them out of Argo City, past some of the other cities she’s been to before.

They go past Kandor, past all other areas that Kara knows people once lived, and when their skimmer lands Kara realizes why Zor-El gave her a cloak, as this place is colder than anywhere else she’s ever been.

“Welcome to the Fortress of Solitude.” Her father says as they enter, passing under a large sculpture. “This place belongs to our family, the House of El. Before it was mine and my brother’s, it belonged to your grandfather- Seg-El- and before him, his parents, and his grandparents, and one day it will belong to you and your cousin Kal. It houses our history, as well as the memories of Els who have passed on.”

Kara looks around, the cold forgotten as she takes everything in. She knows a lot about her mother’s family, the In-Zes, as her mother and aunt have made sure to tell her. But as much as she’s worked closely with her father, and knows Jor-El and Lara, she isn’t close with them, because they live in a different city, and whenever she has asked about her father’s family, Zor-El always told her that he would explain when she was older.

Apparently that time is now, for her, and she has no idea where to start learning.

“Memories?” she asks. “What do you mean?”

“I will show you.” He says, and he leads her to a raised platform.

Almost immediately, as she steps close to it, a figure flickers to life.

“Who is that?” she asks her father.

“Hello, Kara Zor-El. I am Seg-El- your grandfather. You can ask me any question you like.”

“He’s an interactive artificial intelligence program.” Zor-El explains. “Culled from living memory, programmed to offer you assistance. He can access all information stored in the sunstones- I thought it might be an educational experience, for you to be able to learn from him. And, given that he passed away when I was young, I also thought it would be good for you to meet him.”

He de-activates Seg’s hologram on the panel in front of the platform, and the image changes.

“This is your grandmother, Nyssa.” He says. “Originally not meant to marry my father- but that is a long story.”

“Can she tell it to me?”

“Perhaps.” Zor-El answers. “And both she and Seg can tell you anything you want to know about our family. For example, our motto-“

“El Mayarah.” The hologram of Seg answers, once he’s activated again. “Stronger together. Meant to remind us all that, if united, we can build a better tomorrow- as long as we believe in it, and hope that it will come to pass.”

Kara smiles, looking up with wide eyes at the hologram, and sits down in front of him, mind already full of questions.

~

(second fic)

As far back as Querl could remember, he was aware of his ancestral memories.

They were there, in his system, ready to be accessed whenever he needed them- such was normal for all Coluans.

(Even those who, as Querl soon learned, had to wear implants such as personality inhibitors- their access was cut off from the Coluan knowledge aggregate, but they could still see the memories of their families.

It was supposed to be a blessing, but Querl only saw it as cruel)

Being who he was, however, he was discouraged from accessing even those.

And why would he? There was nothing in particular that he wanted to learn from his ancestors, nothing in them that he admired. They could only teach him how to collect the knowledge from planets, how to bottle them after gaining such knowledge. How to conquer worlds, become feared by the universe- and that was no future that he wanted.

So he cut himself off, thought that not being a part of the Coluan hivemind was an advantage. He didn’t need them, or knowledge from his family- he was a twelfth-level intellect, and there was no sense in letting the rest of the Coluan population know more about him than they had to, or judge him for who he was.

Then he met Superman, and though he always predicted that he would have to give him such information, he still wasn’t prepared for it when it happened.

And when it did, it felt like- no, it was- the worst day of Querl’s life, at the time. Seeing Clark mentally connect the person he knew so well, the person he’d been friends with for years, to the person who destroyed his homeworld… the way Clark looked at him, with no love of any kind in his eyes as he misunderstood Querl’s plan, accusing him of trying to destroy Kandor… it hurt more than anything.

So much so, that the only way to make up for it was indeed to access those ancestral memories.

Querl thought, at the time, that he could use them for good. That he had overcome his ancestor, after using the abilities Brainiac had upgraded him with to reverse what he’d once done to Kandor. That, once he’d done that, Clark would love him again, and everything would be fine.

But he should have known Brainiac.

And with him, even as Brainiac was just residual programming of his long-dead ancestor, nothing could be that simple.

~

“How does it feel?” Clark asked him, after he was ready to talk to him again. “How do you feel?”

He didn’t know how to explain it. Not only was he cut off from the hivemind now that he’d destroyed the Brainiac programming within him, but his own connection to his ancestors was completely severed- no longer could he access information from any of them, even if he wanted to.

Querl knew he felt powerless- but not as Clark understood it. The power he had been born with, granted to him by his family, was no longer within his systems… and for the first time in his life, he knew who he was without them.

Without being a Brainiac.

And Clark knew all of that- he had helped the most, when Querl felt hopeless. Querl had told him everything, knew all that he was struggling with, and he understood.

“I… feel different.” Querl answered. “But that is a good thing.”

Clark smiled, and kissed one of the circles on Querl’s forehead, that were all that were left to remind him of the implants that had once been there.

“Good.” He said. “And whenever you need me, I’ll be here.”

“I know. And, Superman?”

“Yeah?”

Querl smiled back at him.

“Thank you.”

_Thank you for forgiving me._

“Always.”


	6. Prompt 6: "What is This Feeling?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> day 6, prompt 6: "What is This Feeling?"
> 
> aka Winndox karaoke time! set in season 3, between 3x11 and 3x14.
> 
> (I really hope you like this, because I had a lot of fun writing it, and I pretty much went the exact obvious route with it as you might expect)

For what it’s worth, Querl was glad that Kara wasn’t present to see his and Winn’s rivalry during the Fort Rozz mission.

She might have overheard some things, but it’s far less embarrassing, frankly, for both him and Winn if she wasn’t aware of most of their behavior.

(never mind that they were going through a lot of stress, that Supergirl and the rest of her team, in addition to all of Fort Rozz, would have fallen into a blue star if they failed.)

Unfortunately for both of them, however, Querl didn’t think that there were great odds of Mon-El informing Kara about what had happened on their side during that day, as it wasn’t relevant to Kara’s team and what had gone on with them- and she was still mourning the loss of one of the people she’d brought with her. But he still saw fit to tell her about their communication issues, and when Kara saw them for herself over the next few weeks, she apparently saw only one proper solution.

~

Mon-El and Imra are behind him, watching his face with looks that he would see as condescending if they didn’t seem so genuinely happy to see his reaction to the place he just entered.

“Well? What do you think?” Mon-El asks. “I spent a lot of time here, uh… last year, really. When I was in this century. Actually worked here, and made drinks.”

“He took me here before you woke up.” Imra adds. “We ate food with our hands and drank something called beer- it was a lot of fun, you should try it.”

“I…” Querl stands still, looking around at the bar. “They’re-“

“Aliens?” Mon-El guesses. “Yeah. Don’t worry- Kara says that this is a place where all species are welcome. They’re used to anyone, and everyone.”

 _Even you,_ Querl translates, as he receives the message his friend may be too scared to say. _They won’t be scared of you because you’re a Brainiac._

“Very well.” Querl answers. “We were going to meet Kara?”

“Right on time.” Kara says, as she arrives in the bar, with Winn beside her.

But as soon as Winn sees Querl, he freezes up.

“What is _he_ doing here?” he asks. “I thought our bars weren’t sophisticated enough for him, or something.”

“I wasn’t aware you were going to be here either.” Querl answers. “But if you could perhaps not make such _assumptions_ -“

“Hey, hey!” Kara says, standing between the two of them. “We’re all here for a good time. And… I brought you two here, specifically, for a reason.”

“Oh? And what is that?”

Kara gives them both a mischievous smile.

“Karaoke night.” She says. “And seeing as how you two have had some difficulties getting along, I thought “hey, why not have them express those feelings in song”, and maybe… maybe it could help. Or at least I hope it will. So I picked out a song for you.”

Before either of them can protest, lyric sheets are in their hands, and they both begin reading them.

“…This does not seem quite accurate to our situation.” Querl points out.

“It doesn’t have to be. What matters is that the emotions are there- and you don’t even have to be good singers, either. Just express how you feel. And… if you hate it, you can always get drunk, and tomorrow you’ll forget it ever happened.”

 _I cannot get drunk,_ Querl thinks. _But I hope I can forget about it regardless._

Winn, meanwhile, is silent, and Querl has the feeling he’s gone through many karaoke nights- just another advantage he has, in this century. Perhaps, even, Kara has convinced him to sing in such a situation.

“So… when do you want to go?” Kara asks.

Winn sighs.

“We may as well get this over with as soon as possible.”

“Great!” Kara says, and goes for the sign-up sheet.

~

And in no time at all, it’s their turn, and Winn and Querl find themselves up on the stage.

Winn’s the one who starts it, and as Querl joins in, he watches Winn’s face- especially when he wrinkles his nose as Querl reads the line “my dear father” in as neutral a tone as possible.

But they get through the introduction of the song, where it was most inaccurate (although as Kara said, the emotion of being stuck with someone you dislike certainly rings true for him), and by the time the true song begins, both Querl and Winn are considerably more invested in the lines they have to sing.

Especially seeing as how they are, essentially, what they’ve wanted to say to one another since the Fort Rozz mission.

_What is this feeling?_

_Fervid as a flame_

_Does it have a name?_

_Yes…_

_Loathing!_

_Unadulterated loathing!_

(such feelings, Querl hopes, are not quite as hyperbolic in their situation, but for this moment, in the song, they work, and Querl channels his frustration from the Fort Rozz mission into singing his lines, hoping that they are properly conveyed)

Kara, Mon-El, and Imra contribute in singing with them, perhaps to make Querl and Winn feel better or perhaps just because they want to- or they have had too much to drink, or Kara insisted.

In any case, by the end of the song, Winn and Querl are singing in unison, and when he switches the shade of his personality inhibitors to red, just to scare Winn as he’s directed to, Winn’s surprise is genuine.

(He changes them back immediately afterward, as said change was merely cosmetic, but he catches Winn eyeing them suspiciously for the rest of the night.)

And when they’re finished, sitting down with the others and finishing something that Winn refers to as hot wings, Kara asks if they had fun.

“Perhaps.” Querl answers, after a pause, looking at Winn for a second with what he hopes is a friendly expression.

_But I don’t know if this will change anything, in the end._

_That depends on him._

Winn, meanwhile, is eating, and just shrugs as he does so.

“Not feeling the urge to get completely drunk, at least.”

It placates Kara- so the tension lifts, and the night continues on.


	7. Prompt 7: Flowers

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> day 7, prompt 7: Flowers
> 
> (also the beginning of the fic is taken from another fic I did, originally posted on October 3rd, 2018 as "Here at the Beginning of the End (Too Good to be True)", just slightly modified to fit this season. I hope you still like it anyway!)

It didn’t seem real.

Of course, Querl was used to unreality. He’d spent his formative years around electronic screens, and then constructing simulations for the Legion, tailored for any situation they might come across. Unreality was comfortable to him, something he used as an escape- and something he was even seeing in this century, thanks to Andrea Rojas and her Obsidian Platinum program.

In the past, he ran into trouble with unreality, when there were people who relied on him. But he did his best.

And, naturally, he had come up with simulations for the scenario of Winn’s return- with positive and negative outcomes. So this- the real one- he almost couldn’t distinguish from a positive one.

Because here Winn was.

Smiling, and healthy-looking, and _alive_.

~

Querl could barely look at him, at first. Not only because he’d believed he was dead for so long- though that was certainly part of it, his returning at all would have been a surprise if he had nothing to do with it- but indeed because of what he’d done, and how guilty he felt whenever Winn so much as said his name or made eye contact with him.

Winn was happy. He had a new family- the Legion, a wife, a daughter- and he seemed as though he’d found a real home in the thirty-first century.

(Winn deserved it, Querl knew. After all, from what he knew about Winn’s past, both of his parents had abandoned him too- not even to speak of what his father had done once he came back into his life, both in life and after his death.

Querl only wished he wasn’t personally responsible for almost tearing Winn’s new life apart)

~

Winn had gone through this with Brainy before.

Well, no- not this bad. But since they’d met, there were things about Brainy that didn’t exactly make Winn feel at ease- first their rivalry, and Brainy’s general condescending personality (that, he doubted Brainy knew, had absolutely made him feel like crap for way longer than necessary), then the fact that he and Imra were keeping secrets from everyone else about why they were really there, and finally the fact that Brainy had bugged his dirt.

But he’d learned a lot about Brainy since they’d last seen each other, and it seemed like Brainy had changed a lot, too. And he seemed genuinely sorry for what he was doing, even as he was in control of such actions, and knew it would ultimately be for a good purpose.

He almost didn’t forgive him, just like he almost hadn’t before. But seeing Brainy again, knowing him…

He couldn’t do that, not when Brainy sounded like he could use all the help he could get.

~

When Querl got to his desk in the morning, after he was made DEO director, he found a small vase of flowers.

He’s wary of them at first, wondering if they’re a gift from Lex Luthor- but the note attached quickly soothes his worries, as he pulls it off of the vase and reads it, smiling while he does so.

 _Hey, Brainy_.

_Sorry we didn’t get to talk very much while I was here- but I know you’re still fighting the good fight in this time, and I wanted to make sure you knew that too. So I was hoping this would cheer you up, and remind you that your friends- I among them- have your back, always. Even if it doesn’t seem like it. You’re the smartest person I know, which is probably an understatement, and I get the feeling that when you were growing up- kinda like me- you were afraid that you could use that knowledge for evil. But, hey, you saw how I turned out, so I have confidence that you’ll find yours soon. I think that’s it._

_Oh- also, I promise there’s no bug in this dirt. :)_

_Your friend,_

_Winn “Toyman” Schott, Jr._


	8. Prompt 8: "I Miss You"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> so I'm kind of cheating on this one, because it's not a standalone fic- it's actually part of the next chapter of Pay the Asking Price, my season 2 rewrite fic (with this chapter being based on season 2 episode 18) and also inspired by the insights we got about Lena and Jack in 5x06.
> 
> I'm very sorry, and I hope you still like it!

“That’s disappointing.” Jack commented, after Lena decided to cancel dinner.

“You don’t have an appointment.”

“No.” he said, looking around at her office. “But I was hoping to get one.”

“How did you get past Hector?”

“No one’s above a snack break.” He answered. “So… what exactly makes you so busy?”

“That’s confidential.” Lena said. “Trust me, it’ll be worth the wait.”

“Related to working with Supergirl?”

“You know I can’t say.”

“How’s that working out for you, by the way? It was the whole reason why you decided to move to this city- I only hope it was worth it.”

“You mean you haven’t been keeping up with the news?”

Jack shook his head.

“I know that you were framed for helping your mother and Metallo.” He answered. “That couldn’t have been good for LuthorCorp.”

“Yes, but she was stopped.” Lena pointed out. “And it’s just L-Corp, now.”

“Supergirl stopped her.” Jack said. “But… alright. I certainly hope you know what you’re doing, with L-Corp.”

“I do.” Lena answered dryly. “ _Thank_ you for believing in me.”

_Even if we may not trust each other as much as we used to._

“Of course. But on unrelated business- I know you’re free for dinner. Good news. But you have no interest in dinner- bad news. I mean, it’s been an emotional rollercoaster since I walked in.”

Lena closed her laptop, as he spoke.

“Oh yeah, you seem _wrecked_.”

“Completely.”

_More than you know, Lena._

“But I’m hoping I don’t have enough data- for instance, would you be willing to go to dinner if I was a factor?”

“No.”

“Are you mad at me? Is it because I… cracked the nano-code alone?”

_Something I regret, given what it’s done to me._

“Seems petty for you.”

“Just stop, Jack. You know I wish you all the success.”

 _And I don’t think you did the same in my case,_ Lena thought.

“But?”

“I’m still not going to dinner with you.”

Jack sighed, sitting in Lena’s chair, looking at her in the eyes.

“Do you have fun here?”

“I feel good about all the work we do.” She answered. “Even if people do still sometimes disparage it.”

“You had fun with me.” He said. “Ruining your eyesight, staring into a microscope.”

_I need you to study my nanites. Figure out what’s going wrong with them._

“Throwing said microscope at my head when I was insufferable… I don’t like how things ended with us.”

“You could’ve made it easier on me.” Lena answered. “I mean, I did want to go, but…”

“I’m not here to make it harder.” Jack said, voice now quieter. “I just miss you.”

And he did, hoping she felt the same. It had been almost a year since she’d left Metropolis, and though he understood why she would want to leave- Lex’s trial had been going on, making it even harder for her to work on anything (even if it was a medical miracle, nobody would trust something with the Luthor name on it) and Supergirl’s city had seemed full of new possibilities- it could’ve also been more of the same.

He just hadn’t understood how quickly she’d made up her mind on it, and by extension had turned on him (she seemed so angry, so frantic… she’d hardly talked to him. But now she was acting like things were normal again, “I can’t trust anyone anymore” be damned), and what exactly had happened during their last trip to London that had changed her mind in the first place.

“May I please have dinner with you?” he asked. “Simple as that.”

Lena raised an eyebrow.

“ _Just_ dinner.”

“It’s entirely your prerogative.”

Lena smiled at him, and he supposed that was that.

(Changed woman or not, whether she was like he last remembered or not… he still needed her help.

Why couldn’t he just tell her?)


	9. Prompt 9: Embraceable You

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> prompt 9, featuring Alex and Brainy circa 4x02!
> 
> (I could've done Winndox for this, for sure. But the first thing I thought of was this episode, so I hope it's good.)

It took longer than Alex would’ve liked to notice how different Brainy was acting, after he returned with the pizzas he’d promised to get.

To be fair, though, he was also trying to shrug off what had happened to him at the same time- he didn’t admit, for example, that when his image inducer was hacked, someone came at him with a metal baseball bat (which she later found out) just because of how he looked.

Just because he wasn’t human.

So Alex, in turn, shrugged it off- she was trying to give him space, and trust him, as he knew what he was doing. When he wanted to open up to her, he would, and as long as she gave him clear instructions and they were honest with one another, everything would be fine.

But clearly, everything wasn’t fine.

She watched him, as he gave instructions to Kara- and he faltered.

It didn’t have anything to do with either her or Kara, as he’d helped the two of them before with nothing hindering him. He and Alex were just starting to find their rhythm, so to speak- Alex even thought that he worked the best when helping Kara, so she put him in charge of communicating with her remotely.

And here he was, nervous, unsure, changing his mind constantly. Nothing like the confident, intelligent man who’d helped them defeat Reign.

But of course he was still himself- something had just happened when she wasn’t there.

And when she caught him muttering to himself, still hung up on not being able to tell Kara the correct location of a broom closet, she knew she was right, and that he needed help.

(for him, it was reminiscent of almost seeing Kara- and the Legion cruiser, and Fort Rozz- burn up in a blue star because he was out of his element, because he couldn’t work with what he’d been given and the idea of letting her down caused him so much stress. And though he was more used to such limits now, he still hated himself in that moment for letting Kara down, telling her to go the wrong way. He wasn’t supposed to make mistakes- not when helping Supergirl. What would his friends think of him if they saw him like that, so deeply affected by his emotions? What did Alex think of him now? Did she see him as an incapable agent? Was he no longer worthy of working so directly alongside of her?

He must be.)

And he told her as much, without as much detail.

As he went on, explaining what had really happened, and how he truly felt about it, Alex saw the hurt on his face. There were even tears in his eyes when she told him she would protect him- and when he told her she was a true friend?

That only ensured one conclusion to their talk.

“Brainy?” she asked, softly.

“Yes, Director Danvers?”

“I know this is… completely unprofessional. And we may not be at this point yet. So you can say no, and I won’t feel bad about it. But… can I give you a hug?”

Before he could say yes, his arms slowly unfolded, and soon she was gently hugging him, hoping that he knew how much she really cared about him.

 _You’re a true friend too, Brainy_ , she thought. _And I’m really happy you’re here, helping me._

_You may not think it right now, but you deserve this, and all the good things in the world._

“I think, if you ask her, Kara will be more than happy to host an impromptu movie night at her place.” She said, once she pulled away, and he had wiped his eyes, beginning to take calming breaths. “What do you say to that?”

“I… would quite enjoy it.” He answered, and as she walked away, he was calling Kara’s number again, starting to smile as he spoke to her sister.


	10. Prompt 10: Rain

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> prompt 10, featuring some smol Danvers sisters!
> 
> (also what I mention about Krypton may not entirely be correct? I have approximate knowledge of many things. But I hope it's at least somewhat accurate.)

“Oh.” Kara says softly, watching the thunderstorm going on outside the Danvers household from the window seat in her and Alex’s room. “You have rain on your planet, too. It’s very loud.”

Alex almost wants to be exasperated, like she is frequently with her new sister. Almost wants to tell her, as she has many times, _“It’s our planet now, Kara.”_

But today, though it’s difficult for her, she chooses to put herself in Kara’s shoes. Chooses to imagine herself as the alien refugee, far away from home, feeling lonely and adrift after her purpose for coming to Earth in the first place was taken from her.

It’s really depressing, and Alex imagines that the rain might only accentuate that, for her.

“You didn’t?” she asks.

“We did- but… it was different.” Kara answers, eyes looking far away. She shivers as thunder strikes outside. “Dangerous. My people… it’s difficult to talk about, but we did a lot of damage to our planet- the Kryptonians existed for a long time, and used up many of our resources. So much that we had to live in confined cities, safe from the wilderness around us, and the only weather we had was artificial.”

“Sorry.” Alex says.

“It’s alright, I was used to it.” Kara answers. “My parents were optimistic about those things. Said it was a good thing, that we were safe- and someday, maybe- if we had enough time- we could fix it.”

She looks down at the outside.

“I know now that they were probably lying to make me feel better.”

“Maybe they were.” Alex says, as Kara makes room for her on the window seat and she sits down beside her. “Or, maybe they weren’t lying, exactly. But that doesn’t mean they didn’t hope for the best. After all, they didn’t know what would happen to you, either- and they still sent you to look after your cousin, hoping that you would be safe and take care of him as well as you could.”

“I guess.” Kara answers. “But that didn’t really work out as planned, either.”

“Yeah, I know.”

Alex puts her hand on Kara’s shoulder.

“Hey. I know we can’t go out on the roof tonight, and watch the stars, like we usually do.” She continues. “But I’m willing to bet that the rain feels much better here than on Krypton. Want to see for yourself?”

Kara looks at her with a questioning expression, before Alex stands up from the window seat, and Kara slowly follows her.

“Maybe afterwards, I can show you how to make hot chocolate.”

“What’s that?”

Alex smiles.

“Come with me, and you’ll find out.”

(She does, and when they do go downstairs, Kara steps outside- returning not only damp, but with a cat that she found out in the rain.

Kara and Alex have to make their hot chocolate faster than Alex wants to, so they can make sure they get back upstairs as soon as possible and keep Eliza and Jeremiah from seeing the cat.

But seeing how both of those things cheer Kara up, Alex knows they’re worth it.)


	11. Prompt 11: Walk With Me

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> this is shorter than pretty much all the other ones because I didn't have much inspiration for it? so, sorry
> 
> also it takes place right between 4x04 and 4x05, I hope you like it

The past few days, to put it lightly, had been difficult for all of them.

Kara especially- although she didn’t remember a lot of what had happened between when she’d been poisoned by Kryptonite, and when she had woken up in her containment suit.

But the air was clean now, and she was able to breathe safely again- which, obviously, was a relief for her. And even though- or because?- there was someone else taking over the DEO now, ensuring that she’d have to get back to work soon, one of the first things she wanted to do was relax.

And she did- she ate pie with her sister, made her give her a back scratch (as she had been in a full-body cast, pretty much), and made sure to schedule the rooftop garden party she’d been planning ever since she decided to decorate the top of her apartment’s roof. Not to mention, of course, a nice long nap, thankfully by choice this time.

After that, though, she figured (especially once she found out some of what had happened while she was in the containment suit) that one of her friends could use a break and some sunshine too.

“Brainy?” she asked. “Do you want to take a walk with me?”

“I would never turn you down.” He answered. “But… why?”

“Just because.” Kara said. “I mean, the entire atmosphere was just cleaned, why not take some time to enjoy it?”

“And you want us to enjoy it together.”

“Well yeah, it seems like you’ve been stuck in here for a while too.” She answered- remembering what Lena had told her about him crying because of Kara’s condition, and Alex mentioning him watching over her while she was unconscious, hoping that she was with Streaky in her mind-palace.

“Not by my own choice.”

“Sorry.” Kara answered. “But I still thought it would be nice. We could catch up on what’s happened lately, how you’ve been doing since you got to this time…And if anything happens, like Alex said, I’ll be right here for you.”

It didn’t take very long to weigh the options in his mind, even despite the heaviness of what had recently happened weighing on him.

“I would love to.” He said, rising from his seat and taking her hand. “We should probably change into more casual clothes first, however.”

“Yeah. Got it.”


	12. Prompt 12: From Now On

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> some solo Brainy today, inspired by the extended version of his ending scene in 3x23!

After Winn’s goodbye party (although, really given the subject matter, it could hardly be called a party), Querl sat down in his new chair.

At that time, there weren’t very many people left in the DEO- at least, not compared to how many there had been during said party, before Winn and Mon-El and Imra had said their goodbyes to everyone.

(Querl… aside from saying private goodbyes to his friends, and to Winn, who he was starting to consider a friend, didn’t really participate in the party.

Whether it was because being among crowds made him uncomfortable, or because he didn’t feel as though he deserved to be there at that time, or some combination of both, he wasn’t sure.)

But he’d come back into the DEO after seeing the Legion ship off, watching his hope for his future leave without him, and he was here, now. Sitting in a chair that was far from his own, in a place that was far from home.

He spun the chair around, just because he was used to it, and then lowered it, as he could see it was too high to fit under the desk at that time. Then he slowly pulled himself across the floor (it took longer than he thought… _sprock_ , he missed his chair on the Legion ship. Though he knew Winn was going to use it responsibly), and though it took a couple times- not to mention he also reached out for the desk and missed the first time he tried to take hold of it- he finally got to his new workspace.

He sighed, sitting there for a moment.

 _From now on, this is your home,_ he thought. _From now on, you will work here, with Alex Danvers._

( _And with Supergirl-_ a thought that lightened his mood somewhat. But his heart still ached, thinking of everyone he’d left behind- or technically ahead- and those whom had left him behind.)

(He still wore his Legion ring, and it still shone in the late afternoon sun- just as it would shine in the future, under a sun and sky that had been changed by time. It would be a reminder that, though he was no longer in the thirty-first century, he was still a Legionnaire, and would continue to uphold their code and responsibilities, albeit adapted to his new twenty-first century occupation)

He knew it wasn’t his choice. He knew that were it not for the near one hundred percent chance that his cousin’s plague would infect him, he would be the Legion’s first choice to lead the fight against him.

But, if he had stayed, it would. And now he was here, as safe as he could be, with people that he’d worked with for only a few months.

 _From now on, you will exchange your Legion uniform for this one_ , he thought, as he was still getting used to the DEO uniform he was wearing, the shirt with short sleeves underneath the jacket, the long pants, the shoes. Winn had directed him to the locker designated _Agent Dox_ , where it was waiting for him, and though it wasn’t entirely dissimilar from the casual attire he had worn with the Legion, he still missed those other clothes sometimes.

Querl wasn’t sure how much his new coworkers trusted him, or even were willing to work alongside him- but, on the positive side, they could only trust him and want to work with him more in the time he would remain here.

The odds were very low that they would become like family to him. But he didn’t know how long he was going to be here, so he didn’t rule it out yet.

 _From now on, this is your desk,_ he thought, looking down at it, reaching across to get the envelope marked _Brainiac_. _From now on, you will use twenty-first century technology, and learn to work with it as much as you can._

He opened the envelope, looking behind him for whoever had given it to him, but there was nobody whom he recognized left there.

 _Guaranteed to appreciate more than even dirt_ , the note said in all capital letters on the outside.

The inside, however, was Winn’s original design- and that combined with the message brought a smile to his face.

_From now on, Winn is your friend, and fellow Legionnaire. From now on, he will protect the future in your place, and keep it safe because you cannot._

_From now on, you can trust him, just as he trusts you to do the same._


	13. Prompt 13: I Love You

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> another short one, sorry!
> 
> (set circa season 1)

It’s when he sees Kara and Alex working together, that really makes him realize it.

J’onn knows he’s supposed to watch over Jeremiah Danvers’s daughters, and protect them because their father can’t do so. And even though, due to his Hank Henshaw identity, he can’t directly keep them safe, or act as paternal to them as he wants to, with Alex he sees an opportunity to take her under his wing.

With him, she remembers the potential she had all along, and becomes one of his most valued agents- both in the field, and the medbay. Before long, she’s his second-in-command, and he can tell that she enjoys her work, likes keeping people safe and being a part of something that matters to her, even if it’s in secret.

That secret weighs on her, just as his own secret does, for a number of years- until she’s trapped on a failing plane, and her sister comes to the rescue.

The last thing he wants is to hurt Kara- but he knows it’s what Hank Henshaw would do, and what he in turn has to do until the time is right for him to give her and Alex the truth.

So he uses the Kryptonite with a heavy heart, and he takes her in as well, training her just like her sister. And although he can’t say it, he’s proud of her progress. He’s proud of both of them, as individuals and as they work as a team, and though he was worried about Kara fighting crime, he also knows that she’s stronger with her sister by her side, and the same is true of Alex.

 _I love you,_ he thinks as he watches them, getting to know them better and eventually becoming a part of their family. _I hope I don’t lose you too._


	14. Prompt 14: Kisses

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> because I'm pretty sure I hadn't done Hogwarts AU for this yet, and I wanted to do some more Karadox. Hope you all like it!

Querl had never seen his mother kiss his father.

His father never kissed his mother, either- and Querl’s memory was extensive, he of all people would remember any kind of affection between his parents.

But whatever possible affection had occurred, he hadn’t seen it, and according to his mother, his parents weren’t even married. So, although it was normal for him and thus he couldn’t really imagine otherwise, he had grown up with a lack of love in his house.

And once he got to Hogwarts, all of his fears were realized- his mother had been vindicated, in how she’d continually told him throughout his childhood that he would never find love. That, because his family was so notorious, everyone would know his last name, and where he belonged, and he would be feared no matter what he did.

It was a difficult first four years, because of that. Although, in its own way, it was also quiet, because so many people avoided him, and he could always block out the whispering behind his back.

But then came the cat Patronus on his desk, and the girl who had reached out to him during one Defense Against the Dark Arts lesson, and the day that had changed his life forever.

And it only improved when she invited him to her home.

Kara, on the other hand from his own loosely-defined family, had experienced the opposite, and he could tell how much love she’d had growing up just from how she talked about her families- both her birth family, who had perished when she was young, and her adoptive family, who welcomed everyone their daughters brought home for the holidays (especially those without good families themselves).

She’d told him all of that, but for some reason he still doubted- perhaps she was embellishing her home experience, or took advantage of his low standards for what family meant, or was only trying to make him feel better.

(Lying, really. But he also hoped she would never lie to him.)

And as he found out, she hadn’t- in fact, it was better than he ever could have dreamed. Though he was worried at first, Kara reassured him that he was the safest he had ever been thanks to her Auror cousin and the protection spells surrounding the house, and soon his fear was no more.

For the first time, he saw familial love, in how the Danvers family were affectionate with each other, and even started to experience it for himself.

And if the first holiday break spent with them was good, the second is even better.

Querl had never seen his parents kiss one another, it was true.

But he used what little reference he had when Kara asked if she could kiss him, and after he kissed her, he only reflected that his parents didn’t know what they were missing.

(Or they knew, and simply felt no love for anyone or anything at all- and that, to Querl, was infinitely sadder.)


	15. Prompt 15: Let's Dance

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> yes, this was absolutely inspired by Guardians of the Galaxy, you probably know the scene.  
> No, I'm not sure who the Groot of this equation is, nor am I completely confident in Kara as Star-Lord, Brainy as Gamora, Brainiac as Ronan (he's more like Thanos actually), Alex as Rocket, or J'onn as Drax. Really no idea how that works.  
> But I hope it's good anyway, and that you all like it!
> 
> also shout-out to my friends Destiny and Lu on Discord, you inspired this, thanks

Kara knew it might not work.

For all she knew, Brainiac might kill her before her friends could sneak up on him and steal the bottled city he held. She’d seen what he was capable of, what he did to those who got in the way of his gaining knowledge. It would be easy enough, and she could have easily imagined it, how he would have ended her or even destroyed the city itself.

But she had also gotten this far, and been through enough setbacks- she hadn’t gathered a makeshift team together and stayed with them on her journey through the galaxy for nothing. And this was Kandor. Originating from her planet, the city her grandfather had grown up in, that her uncle spoke of fondly. The last remnant of a world that had ended before its time- even if some people had said its destruction was inevitable.

There was no way she wasn’t going to at least attempt this, however absurd it sounded or looked- for her people, for those who wanted to fight back but didn’t have the chance, anyone who’d fallen victim to Brainiac’s lust for knowledge and information when they didn’t deserve it.

Besides, from what she knew about him from Brainy, it sounded like Brainiac didn’t take to illogical things well. Any kind of spontaneity, something that he couldn’t have possibly planned for, she could take advantage of, and that was what she was counting on right then so she could get her city back.

So, with Rao’s fire burning in her (or at least, that was what she hoped) and a faraway memory of karaoke nights, she started to sing, and do her best attempt at dance moves when she was the only one making music at that moment.

“What… exactly are you doing?” he asked, about thirty seconds into it.

“Uh, a dance-off, obviously.” She said, refusing to let his demeanor shake her resolve. “Come on. Let's dance. Me and you, right now.”

Brainiac only blinked, as J’onn and Alex moved in behind him, and she continued on, extending a hand to Brainy.

“ _He_ can dance.” Kara said, smiling as she remembered what had happened when they’d tried to dance together. It hadn’t been for very long, and he’d told her he never danced before- or if he had, it hadn’t been because he wanted to, or for pleasure- but it was still nice, and she wanted to dance with him again when millions of lives weren’t at stake.

“Brainy?”

He shook his head, and Kara continued like she’d planned it.

“What are you _doing_?” Brainiac repeated.

“I’m distracting you, you big mean green bean!” Kara answered, and at that, her friends fired their weapons at him, and Brainy reached out and grabbed the bottled city before it hit the ground.


	16. Prompt 16: "You came!"

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I don't know why I keep going back to season 3, but have some fluff from between 3x11 and 3x12 anyway because I thought it was what these nerds deserved

“Hey, Brainy.” Winn says, sitting down beside him a few days after the Fort Rozz incident.

“Winslow.” Querl answers. He glances over at him, then turns to look at him when he realizes that Winn doesn’t look upset with him. “Why are you smiling?”

“Well, my friend.” Winn turns to face him, and places a hand on his shoulder. “Kara just invited me to a game night at Alex’s apartment- she’s still recovering from her broken leg, and she figured that if Alex couldn’t go to her apartment, she’d bring everything over to her.”

“And what are you trying to say, exactly? That because you have friends who invite you to game nights, you are superior to me, and are bragging about such an achievement?” Querl scoffs.

Winn gives him a small frown.

“No, actually.” He says.

“Then what do you want to tell me?”

“I was wondering if you’d… want to go. To game night.”

“With you.”

“Yeah, with me. And I mean; you know Kara is going to be there. And Alex. And probably J’onn and his dad, and my friend James. You’ll see, it’ll be fun.”

“Will Mon-El and Imra be there?”

“They didn’t want to come to the Christmas party, so who knows, really.” Winn answers. “But whether or not they will be, I know you’ll have a good time.”

“Can you completely count on it?”

“I’ll bet on it with you.”

Querl nodded.

“Very well then.” He answers. “When is it? And what exactly are the conditions of our bet?”

~

The next night, Querl arrives at the address he was given, earlier than Winn told him to, and gives a cautious knock on the door.

When it’s opened, he instantly feels at ease seeing Kara’s face, and she smiles even brighter when she takes the box Querl’s holding in his hands.

“You came!” she says, excitedly. “This is so great! I was hoping you would.”

“You want me to be here?”

“Of course! You’re welcome whenever you want. Especially when you bring-“ Kara opens the box. “Ooh, cinnamon rolls! Perfect.”

She moves aside, letting him in.

“I thought they would be appropriate.” Querl answers.

“They certainly are.” Kara says. “Alex has this game, Trivial Pursuit- I think you’re really going to enjoy it.”

“And it involves…”

“Trivia. And the pursuits thereof.” Kara finishes. “Sit down, make yourself comfortable. We’ll get started soon.”

“Very well. Hello, Alex.”

“Hi, Brainy.”

(once Winn gets there, Querl finds that he and Winn work surprisingly well together in Trivial Pursuit, despite Winn’s assumption of Querl’s natural disadvantage.

“I learned my history.” Is his retort, and Winn scowls, but doesn’t complain, even though he’s apparently the reigning champion of such a game- especially when they end up winning, while working as a team for the second time successfully.

And, Querl finds, he’s getting used to it… and working with Winn, as well as playing games with Kara and the rest of her friends, is surprisingly better than he thought.

And perhaps, even though he did have a good time like Winn thought and doesn’t have to, he may in fact be considering doing karaoke alongside Winn, as he was supposed to if he lost their bet)


	17. Prompt 17: Hold Me Tight

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> some season 4 Kara and Brainy for you all tonight! because I wish they could've worked together more in mentoring Nia, and that could've led to a real relationship between them. No idea why that wasn't a thing.
> 
> Anyway! hope you like this!

Querl had never been afraid of heights.

It was an irrelevant fear for him- there were always protections in place, to keep people from falling by accident, both on Earth and on Colu. And when he was constantly encountering people who hated him just because of what he looked like, among many other things… something like heights did not seem so important or invoke such terror, in comparison.

That, in addition to inventing the flight rings, made him long for the sky, instead of being afraid to venture through it. In the sky, after all, nobody could judge him, and with his flight rings, the Legion was unified. No matter what happened, he was a Legionnaire, and that meant something. Even though he was still a Brainiac, he belonged to a team who would keep him safe- and with them, he would work to keep others safe too.

Even after leaving the thirty-first century, he could look at that ring, and remember that. Remember his team, his friends, and the people he’d pledged to protect.

But the twenty-first century gave him a different perspective- especially after he accidentally lost his ring.

No- after he’d had his ring stolen from him, by a man with a magical hat.

His first reaction was to be humiliated- he’d prided himself on outsmarting anyone he went up against, and he was supposed to be able to predict anything, even those who used magic, or employed fifth-dimensional energy. But this time he hadn’t- never mind that it had also been in front of Nia, who he had been trying to mentor. He had failed her, and although logic dictated that he come up with a plan to get his ring back by himself, he also knew that the ring didn’t dictate his worth, and that he was allowed to be upset about its loss for a little while before doing anything useful.

And do useful things, he did- but when it came to getting from place to place, he had very few options.

“Kara?” he asked, in a shy voice. “Can you… please carry me, as you fly back to the DEO?”

“No problem, Brainy.” She said. “I’m gonna pick you up now, okay?”

“Affirmative.” He answered, and she scooped him up into her arms, smiling as she held him, and he put his arms around her shoulders, holding her as closely as he could without making it more intimate than he intended.

“Hold me tight?” he asked, as she prepared to take off.

“Don’t worry. I won’t let you down, I promise.” Kara said. “Now…”

“Up, up, and away?” he finished with her, and she did just that, holding him just as close.


	18. Prompt 18: From Darkness to Light

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> so this is another AU fic, set in a world created by my friend padawanton/BrandiLeaTea/KryptonShitpost, that I contribute to sometimes. That world features a couple different doppelgangers of Kara (which is why she calls it the Superwomen AU) as well as our headcanons for Kara and Brainy's daughters, who we call Astra and Alexa. This particular fic is part of a series that involves their family confronting Brainiac 4, and the consequences of what happens during that confrontation. I hope it's not that confusing, and that you enjoy it!

“Querl? I think you’re going to want to see this.”

Kara beckoned her husband over to the chamber, that stood upright inside of Fabala’s quarters in her ship. At the sound of her voice, he went to stand by her side immediately, looking with her at what she found there.

His hand found the glass, and he gazed for a long time at the immediately recognizable figure inside of the chamber.

The small figure with green skin, blond hair, and no inhibitors marring his visage.

“That’s me.” He said. “My mother…cloned _me_.”

Kara’s hand intertwined with Querl’s, and she looked to him.

“What do you want to do?” she asked. “I mean, this is… you, that we’re talking about.”

“I was just about to ask you the same question. I thought you might be more impartial in this situation.” Querl said.

“We don’t know why your mom did this.” Kara started.

His hand squeezed hers.

“It is true- but in this case, we may not need to know. Whatever her purpose for this, her intentions are almost certainly negative.”

Kara nodded.

“I trust you.” She said. “So… this just became a rescue mission?”

“It is as though you read my mind.”

Querl got to work, connecting to the chamber’s systems and draining the tank that contained the clone, while Kara prepared to open it.

And once it was drained, and the tank was opened, Kara gently took the clone in her arms.

She looked down at the child, heart aching because of his resemblance to her husband, and softly smiled at him as he still slept.

“Don’t worry.” She said. “We’re going to take good care of you.”

~

After they had faced off against Brainiac 4, the Danvers household was quiet.

There was still activity, of course- their family had just expanded by one, after they’d brought home Querl’s clone. But Astra’s injury and Alexa’s solar flare meant that they both had to recover as well, and Querl had decided to take some time to himself after confronting his mother once more.

Kara understood that, and respected it- so while she was helping her family and letting them heal, she also decided to be the one to welcome their new addition into the light.

“Hi.” She said, standing at the doorway of his room. “How do you feel?”

“I am alright.” He answered, eyes trained on the floor as he sat on the edge of his bed, putting aside the book he was reading. “Does your family hate me?”

Kara’s heart broke again, looking at him.

“What makes you think that?”

“I was created by Fabala Dox.” He said. “And from how your family speaks about her, they know her to be evil. I come from darkness… what’s to say that I will not return to it? Or that they distrust me, and believe that I will?”

“Oh, honey…” Kara said, and crossed the room to sit down beside him on the bed. “There’s nothing we want more than to make you feel welcome. We’re all just trying to heal from what happened with Fabala- she hurt one of my daughters, one of your new sisters, and the other one spent all her energy in protecting her. And your new father… he’s been hurt by her more than I know, and I’m giving him space.”

“And they’re just giving me space, too?”

“That’s exactly it.” Kara said. “All the time you need, no pressure. And once we’re more healed, as a family, I know we’re going to be stronger together.”

“What must I do?”

Kara placed a gentle hand on his back.

“You don’t have to do anything.” She said. “You can figure things out- who you want to be, who you are… you can even pick a new name, if that’s what you want.”

The clone smiled up at her.

“I know now exactly who I’m supposed to be.” He said. “And it’s a part of this family.”

“That’s perfect.” Kara said. “We’re happy to have you.”


	19. Prompt 19: Always

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> so this might not really be entirely relevant to the prompt? But the word is in there, so I think it probably counts.
> 
> Anyway! So this is for my Winndox Buzzfeed Unsolved AU, specifically the version that takes place loosely after the events of canon/mostly ignores them, and is just Winn and Brainy (and others) going on a road trip looking for supernatural things and recording it and getting themselves in trouble. I hope you like it!

Querl didn’t know what made him decide it.

(It was probably a combination of things- the real question was what made him decide that year, that month, that day, that hour, that minute. And that, he wasn’t entirely certain about. But it was the right time, and so he went forward)

But one day, he did, and once he had, it was a short time before James was behind the camera, and Winn was beside him, as he made his announcement.

“Hello.” He said. “As you may have guessed, this is not a typical episode. In fact, it is not an episode at all- and will be classified as something else once it is uploaded on our website. But… for a long time, I admit, I have not been entirely honest with you all.”

Winn almost made a joke about that- We all know you’re bi, Brainy. But he also knew that this was an important moment for him, and he kept his mouth shut.

Breathing slowly, in and out, Querl deactivated his image inducer.

“There is something that you have speculated on for many episodes, and indeed guessed, judging by your many comments, all of which I have read. And now I wish to say that it is true- I am an alien.” He said, as if one couldn’t tell from his green skin and blond hair. “Specifically, a Coluan- from the planet Colu. My true name is Querl Dox, and the nickname “Brainy” comes from my title, Brainiac 5. I mean no harm to you- in fact, just the opposite. I am here on this planet in peace, and I only wish to serve you in whatever way possible. Whether it is to be a superhero, as I was for many years, or who I am now- someone trying to heal from the trauma experienced in my youth, and spending time with those I love- I only want to be myself, and in this current uninhibited state, after over twenty years of having my very being suppressed, I finally am.”

Winn reached out and took his hand, gently squeezing it.

“And I am proud to offer my support to him.” He said. “I love Querl, and not only because he’s an alien, and I like making probe jokes about him.” He turned to him, as he spoke the rest. “Because you're smart, and cute, and funny, and loyal, and you're always there for me.”

“And I love you too, Winslow.” Querl answered. “For the exact same reasons. Always.”

“…so, no chance of doing an Area 51 episode in the future?” Winn asked, as if he hadn’t known he was an alien from the beginning.

“I think it may be even more interesting to do one now.” Querl said. “That is to say, an episode about someplace that is frequently spoken about in conjunction with alien activity, co-hosted by someone who is openly an alien? Not every show could have that perspective.”

“You’re right. Should we turn this off and get started on researching it?”

“Of course.” Querl answered. “James?”

James turned off the camera, but not before Winn began showering Querl’s true face with kisses, and Querl did his best to keep up.


	20. Prompt 20: Between You and Me

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> so this is... a very silly, not-to-be-taken-seriously thing. partially inspired by a prompt that a friend of mine, Winter, did, and also inspired by a theory that was created by the podcast Supergirl Radio, starting in their episode on 5x11! My friend Lu is also partially responsible for this, so thank you to her and to the others listed as well.

Kara’s hands shook, as she approached him.

She knew she had to- in order for their relationship to go any further, being honest with him was the only possibility. And even though things with them were casual right then, who knew how serious they might get? If he was going to be put in danger just because he knew her, wasn’t it better if he was aware of who she really was?

(She didn’t want this to turn out like the situation with her and Lena, where their friendship got too deep and Lena felt betrayed, even if Kara had reasons not to trust her and reasons that she wouldn’t tell her.

She wasn’t going to betray anyone else.)

And besides- he was more than willing to put himself in danger, just to get the truth. He was brave, and smart, and resourceful, and a dedicated reporter. He was her friend, as both Kara and Supergirl, and he had the right to know that they were one and the same.

“William?” she said.

“Hey, Kara.” He answered, giving her the smile she was getting used to seeing more of, as of late.

“Um. So.” Kara cleared her throat, before continuing. “Between you and me… I haven’t been entirely honest with you. And I just thought that I should… get everything out in the open, so that things between us can be clearer.”

“Oh, there’s an us now?” William asked.

Kara nodded. “Hopefully, after this.” She said, still nervous.

“Great.” He told her. “Because I… I have something to tell you too, about myself.”

“Really?” Kara asked. “Well then, in that case I think we should just… say what we have to at the same time. Alright?”

“Sounds good to me.”

“Okay. One, two…” Kara breathed in, then out.

“I’m Supergirl.”

“I’m a horse.”

“Wait, you’re _who_?”

“You’re _what_ now?”

William laughed, deactivating the image inducer he wore for a second, before returning to the face she knew.

“This is going to be a long night…”


	21. Prompt 21: Forget Them

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> so this was an idea I've had for a while? I mean, I wanted to write some kind of character piece involving Lex and Brainy, and their partnership. But I hadn't really gotten the chance to until now! And I hope you like it.

Querl Dox was… interesting.

Lex knew his real name, of course. He knew everything Kara knew about him, as she’d written it all down in the journals that he’d had his superior Supergirl read, and then had read for himself.

He also knew that the alien Kara knew as her friend “Brainy” was in fact Brainiac 5, member of a family Lex was very familiar with.

(And seeing as he’d once been forced into helping rebuild the body of the original Brainiac, only for the same alien to betray him, he had a very good reason to be suspicious of his descendant.)

It had been a pity, really, that Brainiac had seen him as competition- when he was the only being, human or alien (aside from, perhaps, Lex’s own sister, and he would never say that to her face) who was even remotely on his level in terms of intelligence.

(Daresay, perhaps, he was smarter- and though Lex was loath to admit it, he envied the technology that Brainiac had him working with back then.)

And even during that time, Lex wondered- what would happen if (and he admitted then that it was unlikely) he had someone with that kind of power, that kind of intelligence, working for him, alongside him? Who could understand him, and unlike the treacherous alien, remain loyal? What if he could put someone like that under his control?

He’d had the Kaznian Supergirl before. But it was only so useful- it questioned too much, even while it was being manipulated, and it was inevitable that their partnership wouldn’t last, even without the Harun-El already breaking it down and putting their work under limited time anyway.

There was also Lena- but she couldn’t seem to decide whether her name and family were a blessing, or a curse, and as such didn’t know whether she wanted to become like him or not. She was a particularly annoying wild card, yet one with potential, and though he’d been able to convince her that working with him was for the best, he was still wary- especially given her connection to the real Supergirl.

Now, there was Agent Dox himself- Lex thought it easier, less worrying, to avoid thinking of him as “Brainiac 5”. Though a common enemy was present after the Crisis, in Leviathan, only he seemed to truly understand what a threat they posed. And unlike Supergirl or her sister, he never voiced any complaints about working with him- in fact, he was all too eager to do so, appealing to their like-mindedness and how intelligent they both were.

(indeed, he seemed too intelligent for his own good, even if he was an alien. And though when he’d previously been observing Supergirl and her friends, he was held back by his morality; now that obstacle seemed to be behind him, as his alignment was solely dictated by logic.)

(And logic, fortunately enough, was in Lex’s favor- nothing Supergirl could do would be able to oppose that)

Or at least he thought.

There were times when, just like with Lena, with the Kaznian Supergirl, even with Brainiac- his new Director Dox doubted. When he questioned Lex’s decisions, especially when it involved putting people (and specifically Supergirl and her friends) in danger for the purposes of moving forward in defeating Leviathan.

“Forget them.” Lex would say. “Forget everyone and everything else.

_Especially forget the Kryptonian._

“Leviathan, and stopping them, are the only things that matter right now. You’re working with me, remember? You really wouldn’t want to see how I react to a sudden betrayal- specifically from someone I thought was so loyal to me.”

Director Dox was useful, to be sure. And though he still appeared to have something like a conscience, unlike Lex’s other partners, he didn’t put up a fight when given a second chance to do so.

But he was still an alien, and a Brainiac, and although Lex called him his favorite Coluan, that was still a low bar to reach.


	22. Prompt 22: Let Me Help You

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> so the writing for this was interrupted a couple times, plus I was a little bit distracted by the MRI that I experienced today. But I hope this is good?
> 
> also I'm realizing as I keep setting prompts in season 3 that I really do like that season a lot, especially the first half. It was a great season for Kara, and even though there were some things that disrupted it, the cast and crew did the best with what they had. And it was the first season I really felt like an active part of the fandom, with good friends, so it holds a special place in my heart. (plus it brought me actually perfect Brainiac 5, Jesse Rath. Can't forget him)
> 
> and I hope that this prompt isn't too repetitive, in when it's set and what characters I'm using? I'll try doing something more creative tomorrow.

Kara finds him, after the Fort Rozz mission.

“Brainy!” she says, and he’s facing away from her at first, sitting in front of one of the DEO’s computers. He’s not quite next to Winn, but they’re not arguing right now, and it’s good enough for the moment.

“Supergirl.” He answers once he turns, and stands up as he faces her, doing a little salute. “What is it?”

“Well, first of all, it’s good to see you again.” Kara says. “And, thank you.”

“What is there to thank?”

Brainy frowns, looking confused for once, and wrings his hands together as he speaks to her.

“I did not help as much as I should have, Supergirl.” He continues. “I was unable to find a way to communicate with the Legion cruiser from the DEO, which could have led to you, your team, and the prisoners burning up in a blue star. I… I overreacted, to the lack of technology available.”

He pauses, hands in a defensive position.

“I mean no offense to you, or what you use to keep people safe at your DEO.” He says.

“It’s okay, I get it.” Kara answers.

Brainy stares at her for a moment, before nodding.

“Right. You, as well, experienced such a shift in technology- as you grew up on Krypton, before moving to Earth. I am sure it was torturous.”

Kara shakes her head.

“It wasn’t that bad.” She says. “Okay, maybe it was. Especially adjusting to how different everything felt, and sounded, because of my new powers. But I got used to it.”

“And that was a long process?”

“Yeah.” Kara tells him, wistfully. “I’m sorry- to you and Imra.”

Brainy gives that thought a dismissive wave.

“I am still apologizing to you, and her.” He says. “Were we to go to my time- as unrealistic as that prospect is right now- I would be much more competent. I would be able to help you as you deserve, and show you and your compatriots the true power of a twelfth-level intellect.”

Kara sighs, and places a hand on Brainy’s shoulder.

“But that’s the point. You don’t need to apologize.” She says. “I trust you, and your intellect. Even though you don’t have what you’re used to, you did still come up with a way to help. And you can still adapt to what you have, right?”

“Yes. But Winn did so faster.”

“Winn’s lived here his entire life. And don’t you think he might be comparing himself to you? That maybe, he could see himself as the one who’s inferior, having to live up to your example with what little technology he has?” Kara asks.

“I… did not consider that yet.” He tells her. “While we were trying to find a way to send a message to you, Winn told me to “learn my history”. He did not consider, even though we told him so when you were in a coma that I literally was unable to learn said history.”

“But you could still learn now.” She says. “Maybe it’ll help. And whether or not it does, it’ll be a learning experience. How does that sound?”

Brainy gives her a small smile.

“I quite like that.” He answers.

“Then let me help you.” Kara says. “We can start with all the files from what happened starting when I became Supergirl.”

_Maybe this will help you and Winn understand each other too._

“And, afterwards… how about we watch a movie together?”

“I accept. Thank you.”

“Alright then, I’ll show you where the files are.”

“Lead on.”


	23. Prompt 23: Finding Family

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> this one is short, sorry

Kara never thought anyone would replace the House of El, for her.

She’d grown up learning about their history- how they’d lost their honor, and were stripped of their rank, but had to earn it back. How they’d proved they were worthy of it. Her mother’s family, the In-Zes, also had a history worth respecting, but it was her father who most impressed upon her the importance of the house of El’s legacy.

It was so important, in fact, that she and Kal-El were sent away to make sure it survived.

Or so she was told.

Over the years, though she resisted the idea of replacing her Kryptonian family with anyone, she did find herself with a considerable new family of her own, in addition to them.

And it was no more evident than when she looked around her table at Thanksgiving, after finding out Alura was alive- her adoptive family, Eliza and Alex, were there, and she loved them more than anyone. There were James and Lena, two of her best friends- and if Winn had been there, he would’ve been another of them. There were new friends, too- Brainy and Nia and even Manchester, who was connected to their family through J’onn, who was truly another father figure to her.

They were all together, at the same time, and the thought filled Kara with warmth- even though they weren’t the family she was born with, they’d been the one she had ended up with, and she couldn’t be happier about it.


	24. Prompt 24: Seasons Change

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> well this is a long one.
> 
> It's actually the longest of this collection, beating the Winndox karaoke one by like 200 words? but I'm sorry this is late! I hope it's okay

Querl awoke in the twenty-first century in winter.

Of course, he was born during the winter as well, and his birthday fell just a few days after he first met Kara. So that was something worth celebrating, at least- even if, for so long, winter had reminded him of the planet he visited when he was young.

(He still remembered all of it- the way there was a gentle wind as he played in the snow, the way the snow looked so bright against his purple coat. The way his parents watched him, his mother especially, and how she brought him and his father back onto their family’s cruiser, having no idea what was about to happen.

The way he could only watch as his mother bottled the planet, retrieving it and presenting it to him with a proud smile, and how he had grown so angry when his father took it from him, demanding that his mother turn it back to normal.)

(He didn’t like thinking of what happened afterwards.)

But this was a new century, where he could leave his past in the future, and as the months went on and the Legion continued their mission, Querl found that he did.

~

Querl left the twenty-first century in spring.

It took longer than expected, for the Worldkillers to surface (and most of his time was spent trying to look for them with Imra and discussing their own plan) but once they did, they made their presence known, and everyone- including himself, Mon-El, and Imra- contributed in the fight to stop them.

Of course, by the end the matter of killing Pestilence and destroying the Blight before it ever came to being was taken out of the Legion’s hands, and though Reign had absorbed the abilities of her sisters, that had no effect on the events of the future- so really, all the planning was for naught.

But there were still things to be planned for (including, in Querl’s case, how to say goodbye to someone like Winn Schott- whose feelings about him he was still not sure of. It was annoying for him, but also presented a challenge- the chance to get it right, if only he could give him the right gift, say the right words, act in the proper way when dealing with someone who called him a friend.

He liked to think he rose to that challenge, but even after settling into the Legion ship and heading towards the disruption that would take his cruiser home, he still doubted.)

~

Querl left his home, and arrived in his new home for the time being, in summer.

Or a few days before the official start of summer in the calendar his new human friends used- but no matter. It had been about a month, and he couldn’t even enjoy the time he’d spent in his home century. There was too much stress, too many sleepless nights, countless times where he wondered, after learning of the AI plague, if he had caught it himself.

Needless to say, the Legionnaires had tried to give him as much space as he said he wanted- but he could also tell that they were worried about him, and hoped he was going to be alright.

It was only too bad that the only way to ensure he would be truly alright, was to remove him from his home entirely, sending him back to a place that his friends could tell exhausted him.

But, since it was the only possibility, he chose it, and though delivering the news to Mon-El and Winn was difficult (especially when observing their goodbyes, after Reign and the Kryptonian witches who’d been responsible for her creation were defeated), once he had he felt a sense of relief.

In this century, he could breathe, and not feel as though he were taking a risk by doing so.

In this century, Supergirl was there, and though they didn’t know each other as well as he’d dared to hope, he wanted to think that they were still friends, and would still work together. She would still keep him safe, as would the entire DEO, and with them, he would find new purpose.

Or at least, he hoped so.

~

Querl felt as though he’d found a new family in autumn.

It was difficult to choose a specific moment- there was the time after the Legion cruiser had taken off, when Kara had taken him to where she stored her ice cream in the DEO and they went to his new room and ate it straight out of the carton, which she insisted was sanitary and something that he needed.

There was the first brunch that James invited him to, after he noticed- correctly- that Querl looked lonely, and could probably use a friend. Winn had been the topic of discussion that day, and still came up many times- though it wasn’t, contrary to his expectations, a matter of Querl being the cheap replacement for Winn, and thus someone that James could never truly be friends with. They’d talked about Clark, too, and Kara, and had shared things about themselves- and by the time they were done, James was inviting him to another brunch, and Querl agreed, knowing that it was worth it.

There were the discussions he and J’onn had had, after J’onn moved into his new place of residence, about humans and how they fit in with them. How sometimes, there was no way they could truly blend in, ways that they would always stand out no matter how hard they tried- but that was okay, and there were people who would accept them no matter how they acted or what they looked like.

There was even Alex, first after she’d found him wearing Winn’s clothes and then after his image inducer malfunctioned, coming to the realization that she’d been unfair to him and putting that into practice when she saw him so upset and in such distress. She had cheered him up, and helped him to realize that she, like Supergirl, would protect him- even if he wasn’t the best friend she’d had to say goodbye to.

But the culmination of all of said moments, and others, was when Kara personally invited him to Thanksgiving. According to his research, it was a holiday meant to celebrate friends and family- and though he didn’t have much experience with either, he was honored to be a part of hers.

(Even if the dinner itself was cut short, he was thankful for what he had, and knew that every person sitting around that table accepted him for who he was, even in a time as difficult for people like him as it was then)

~

When winter came again, Querl was still in the twenty-first century- though with a new perspective.

Seasons had changed, his friends had left him behind, he’d left them ahead… and though he missed them every day, and wished that they would take him home, back to the existence he’d had to give up, he found that (for what it was) this one wasn’t so bad.

He spent his birthday in Kara’s apartment, eating a cupcake with purple frosting and watching Keanu Reeves movies with her and Alex- nothing he had expected a year ago.

But again, that was a good thing, and as he sat there, a visitor in the real equivalent of her mind-palace, he felt nothing but safe and warm as the snow came down outside.


	25. Prompt 25: I'll Be Right Here

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> so this one is a minor canon divergence from 3x07, because I wanted to explore a little bit of what would've happened if Brainy had woken up on the Legion ship first?
> 
> (also this was inspired by something that the wonderful winterskywrites wrote, she's great and I am always in awe of her talents)

“We found him on the ship.” Kara says, carrying the Coluan man into the medbay, and setting him down on one of the beds. As she does, covering him with blankets and making sure there’s a good pillow under his head, she’s looking at everyone around her with an expression that dares them to stop her.

(And nobody would)

“You’re sure he’s safe?” Alex asks, looking down at his forehead. “After…”

She doesn’t need to say her name. Winn and J’onn, who were down in the ship with Kara when they found him, certainly remember Indigo- one of the people who tried to take over National City using Myriad, also known as Brainiac 8.

“He looks _sick_ , Alex.” Kara argues. “Just look at him. He collapsed right in front of us, out of nowhere, and you’re going to refuse to take care of him because he looks like a Brainiac?”

Alex sighed.

“You also said he shot at you.” She says.

“He might’ve been confused.” Kara answers.

“Besides, I don’t know exactly how to…”

“You can at least try.”

“Fine.” She says, and gets to work.

In the bed, he still sleeps, and as Alex starts doing everything she can before he wakes up, Kara holds his hand.

She thinks about how she first landed on Earth- and, just last year, how Mon-El did. They’re two completely different experiences, to be sure, and now this man is getting another one. But despite how he looks, she’s going to make sure his waking up on Earth is as comfortable as possible. That he’s healthy and safe, and on a strange new world, among strange new people, he too can be happy.

“I’ll be right here.” Kara says, knowing she’ll keep that promise. “When you wake up, I’ll make sure you’re okay.”


	26. Prompt 26: Stay

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> and we're going back to the Winndox Buzzfeed Unsolved AU with this one! featuring a little bit of a crossover with Legends of Tomorrow, incidentally. And this is based on a prompted fic from the lovely and wonderful evelyn-hugc, aka wearealltalesintheend! Just like with Winter, you're such a great writer and I admire your talents.

Querl wakes up all at once.

He’s aware that he still went on living, for the past few days. But it was as though he were aligned again- no.

Not exactly.

More like when the Aurafacian took over- something suppressing his own mind, taking control of his body and making him watch. As though he were pushed underwater, and something else pretending to be him had risen from the surface- a twisted copy, a flawed replica.

But now he’s broken through, someone has given him back his control, and he’s breathing heavily, taking everything in simultaneously-

“Querl?”

Winn is there.

“Brainy, hey. Slow down, babe. Just… take things slow. You’re okay. Everything is alright now.”

“Wha- what happened?” he says. Blood is trickling from his nose again, and he’s on the floor of somewhere he doesn’t recognize. There are symbols around him, drawn in what looks like a circle, and two other people are there besides Winn.

“What you just experienced, Querl Dox, was your first spirit possession.” One of the others, a British man in a trenchcoat, says. “Happens to many people. In your case, your boyfriend was smart enough to recognize it early, and brought you here before it could do real damage. You’re lucky.”

“I should’ve been smarter.” He answers, shivering. “I- I am a twelfth-level intellect, I should have seen this… this spirit, and been able to avoid it. Winslow and I have been studying all of this, as much as I didn’t believe it to be real, but I still listened to him. I should have-“

“Don’t beat yourself up over it.” The other man says. “Happens to a lot of people. I’m Gary, by the way, and this is John Constantine.”

“Guilty.” Constantine says, and Querl feels a sudden warmth- Winn has draped a blanket around him.

Querl, in response, hugs Winn.

“Glad you’re back.” He says, holding him too.

“So am I. That was… thoroughly unpleasant, to say the least.”

“Sorry. And, hey. You don’t have to beat yourself up over this- like Gary said. I, um… I should’ve been there. And there really was no way you could’ve prevented it anyway, twelfth-level intellect or not.”

“Is that supposed to be comforting?”

“…Yeah?”

“Luckily for you, it worked.”

Winn gently brushes his hair away from his face, and kisses Querl on his forehead.

“Want me to get you some tea?”

“Let me do it.” Constantine says. “You just stay with him. Keep him warm.”

“Don’t have to tell me twice.”

Querl wraps his blanket around Winn, and stay together they do, until Querl completely comes back to himself.


	27. Prompt 27: Alternate Universe

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> me earlier today: "you know what, I have so many AUs to choose from... but I really have no idea what to write about. For either today's prompt or the Supergirl Radio fic contest."
> 
> Also me: "...okay but what if William as Comet was in the Dark Timeline from the 100th episode."
> 
> and I couldn't not write that. So here you go!

“Now she rules what’s left with an iron fist.” Winn said, confirming even more than necessary just how much this world _sucked_. “Reign is her enforcer.”

“And Brainy too.” Alex continued. “She captured him, Aligned him. Now he has no emotions… and does whatever Lena tells him to.”

“Also… she has a horse, who she captured and mind-controlled too.” Mon-El pointed out. “Not sure what his deal is.”

 _Yeah, this couldn’t get any worse_ , Kara thought as she paced around the room. _Even without the horse thing. Which is just kind of weird._

“Oh, no. This, this… I have made a terrible mistake.” Kara said, turning to Mxyzptlk. “This world is my responsibility.”

She turned back, facing the group.

“Okay. Okay. We can still fix this.”

And soon, they indeed had a plan- Mxy would get back his hat (that Kara had wondered about ever since she saw it on the eponymous member of the Elite) and then, accordingly, would be able to use his fifth-dimensional powers again, and send Kara back to the right timeline.

But getting the hat would be tricky, which was why Kara was about to propose he and a couple others go get it from the DEO… before the electricity in the Tower went out.

CRASH!

The windows were smashed in, and as Kara looked up, she saw three people invading the freedom fighters’ headquarters- or rather, two people and one who could only be described as a centaur.

A centaur with gigantic wings, long flowing hair, and glowing green eyes, in addition to the very much familiar Reign and Brainy.

“Surrender the imp, or die!” yelled Reign, who sounded like she wasn’t taking any other possibilities into consideration, before firing her heat vision at the group, which Nia protected them from with a giant forcefield.

Brainy, meanwhile, was silent, landing on the balcony in his new purple suit- only one with red lights instead of white.

“You should listen to the Worldkiller.” The centaur said. “If you do, Lena will at least consider letting you live.”

Kara stared at the centaur, whose face she could now clearly see, and whose voice she recognized.

“Oh my god.” She said. “… _William_?”

“ _Neigh._ ”

“He doesn’t like it when you use his human name.” Winn whispered. “He prefers Comet.”

“That’s… different.”

It was the understatement of the century, Kara knew, but there was already so much to process. What was one more element, no matter how absurd, on top of all of it?

One thing was certain, though. She had to find Lena- this version- and at least talk to her. No matter how Lena might respond, especially in an alternate universe this dark.

What more harm could it do?


	28. Prompt 28: The Sun and the Moon

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> in which I couldn't decide on what to do. so I just decided something random and very short.

They weren’t supposed to get along.

Or rather, they shouldn’t have- they were opposites. Avatar or not, Kara still belonged to the Fire Nation by birth, where Querl hailed from the Northern Water Tribe. Where she rose with the sun, he did the same with the moon, and it didn’t seem as though they would meet in the middle.

But somewhere along the line, between when they began to learn from each other and when they realized that they were in love, they did. And though they were opposites in how and where they were raised, they were similar where it counted, and that went a long way in their relationship.

(There were many nights where Querl watched her, seeing that she was truly the personification of fire in its best form- burning and free, used to give light and energy to those who knew how to use it, but also dangerous to those who didn’t. He knew nobody was going to use her, but she certainly gave him that light- and he hoped, as someone who drew his energy from the moon, that he reflected hers)

(Kara, meanwhile, watching him in the mornings, knew that he did- and that his light, in its own way, his strength and stability, was just as good as hers)

The sun and the moon were linked, in a way, together keeping the Earth balanced and spinning. Couldn’t they do the same?


	29. Prompt 29: Time and Space

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> some season 1 Kara tonight!
> 
> sorry that it's late (also, for the record (because there's a line vaguely alluding to it and I wanted to clarify), I think my friend Winter headcanoned it first? but I agree with her that it makes the most sense for Eliza to be Jewish and for Jeremiah to be Christian.)

Kara had faced many prisoners from Fort Rozz.

There were some who were easy to defeat, of course. Or those who weren’t, at first, but were brought down with the help of her friends.

But there were also those like Astra- who it hurt to fight.

(Kara found herself focusing on the white streak in Astra’s hair, forcing herself to remember that she wasn’t fighting her mother)

Indigo fell into something of a combination of the two- Kara knew that Winn, Alex, and J’onn had her back at the DEO, watching her and working on something that would shut her down. And she wouldn’t have gotten the information about her that the DEO was using in the first place if it hadn’t have been for James. Even Cat and Lucy, though they didn’t know her secret, had contributed.

But Indigo was also a Brainiac- and Kara knew not to trust them. From childhood, she had been taught to be afraid of their whole family, and what they could do (and did) to Krypton.

(Kandor, especially- given that it had been bottled by the original Brainiac, and even Kal couldn’t find a way to restore it to normal.)

There was no question that Kara hated her, disagreed with her inherently. This was a more personal matter, and in a way a part of her own home coming back to haunt her.

But her words, she still considered.

 _I am beyond time and space,_ she said. _You wouldn’t even be here if it wasn’t for me._

Kara had never known what happened, to release her from the Phantom Zone. She’d seen the symbol, on the console of her ship right before it was pulled out- but hadn’t remembered who it belonged to.

(Time, or the absence thereof, hadn’t been kind to some of her memories, just as the endless darkness hadn’t been kind to her dreams)

_How do you think Fort Rozz escaped the Phantom Zone? She continued. For decades, I searched the Phantom Zone with my mind, looking for a way out. And then, I found you. I activated your pod. I linked it to the prison. I’m the reason you made it to Earth. You would still be sleeping in that timeless void if it wasn’t for me._

_Yes, but you aren’t responsible for the life I’ve lead here,_ Kara wanted to say. _You claim to have omniscient knowledge, like the rest of the Coluans- but you’re not Rao, you aren’t the God that Eliza or Jeremiah talked about, with their separate books._

_You don’t know, or maybe don’t care, that you also gave me the people I needed at that time, and those who helped me defeat you._

Letting out one final scream, Indigo exploded in a burst of angry red code, leaving Kara to think about her, and what had happened- and how she’d come to be where she was, with a sister who asked if she was okay, and people who would never let her down.

_You clearly aren’t as smart as you think._


	30. Prompt 30: Super Friends

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> set during Crisis part 1!

“So, are you really excellent with children?”

Lois asked, looking over at Brainy. She didn’t know a lot about him- other than both Kara and Clark trusting him with their lives, and the fact that last time they had met he’d torn Amazo’s motherboard right out of its chest. And she knew even less about Sara Lance, who she hadn’t even seen last year but seemed to be friends with everyone else who’d been brought together for this Crisis, and was a… time traveler? She wasn’t completely sure, but she sounded like she was familiar with other timelines.

But if she knew where she was going and how to handle herself when they all got there, and Brainy knew where her son was and could make sure that he was safe, then she was going to trust them too.

“I am.” He stated. “I… to be honest, I was often alone as a child, to put it lightly. So as I got older, I decided to make sure others, including infants, didn’t receive the same treatment.”

Lois patted his shoulder.

“Sorry.” She answered. “I know that probably doesn’t cover it, but…”

“It is alright.” Brainy said. “Thank you. And I promise, you will be reunited with your son as soon as possible.”

“You can count on it.” Sara continued. “I may not really be good with kids myself, but I can try.”

“I appreciate it.”

She knew that time was running out, for everyone and everything- and that she had no idea what was coming next, for herself, Jonathan, Brainy and Sara, for the world, the universe.

But still, for those who were around to hear it, this was going to be a hell of a story to tell- and no matter what was going to happen wherever her baby was, at least she had a couple of super friends backing her up, and more friends back in National City on her Earth, holding the fort until as many people as possible could be evacuated.

“So.” She started again. “While we’re here, would you mind telling me a little more about yourselves?”


	31. Prompt 31: Thank You

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> and here we are, the final prompt! We're going back to the Hogwarts AU for this one, because I just love it so much.
> 
> thank you to everyone who's commented, you all are lovely and I appreciate your nice words!

Querl suspected he would never stop thanking her.

He could start doing so just because she spoke to him in the first place- because she noticed him, because this was Kara Danvers, cousin of Clark Kent, and he knew how much his family had hurt theirs. She should hate him. She had no reason to like him, to want to approach him at all, and perhaps it would have been easier if she did hate him.

But she noticed, and cared, and that made things difficult.

She saw him, first, when he was struggling with conjuring his Patronus- sent hers to him, started the conversation. Gave him hope that things could be better, and that she of all people could be his friend.

Because if Kara Danvers could forgive him for the sins of his family, and not blame him for those same things, then who else could potentially do so as well?

As it turned out, quite a few people could- Alex and Winn and James and Kelly, to start, and even the rest of Kara’s family, but they were more than he could’ve asked for.

She, alone, is more than he could’ve ever wished for… but she is also who he saw in the mirror.

The image of her beside him, promising that she would be there, perhaps even to protect him- he doubted anyone would ever do that for him. He was told that nobody would.

But against all odds, she did, and once she started, there seemed to be nothing she wouldn’t do to help him, no moment where he felt like he was all alone again.

She became his friend, and it was no wonder why he fell in love with her.

Why he wanted, even after such a short period of friendship, to do anything possible for her as well.

There was real warmth there, and genuine kindness- in her smile, in how she hugged him, and he wants to make sure she receives that same warmth herself.

And though he knows he can’t stay with her forever, that their paths will diverge at some point, there’s hope in his heart now that they won’t be apart for very long.

So he enjoys their closeness while it lasts, and keeps thanking her- just as he did after his first Patronus, his first real happy memories.

_I love you, Kara Danvers. Thank you for everything._

**Author's Note:**

> so this is happening!  
> I know it's just me and someone else doing these prompts, but I figured I would put them all up here anyway, just for convenience. Length will vary, characters will vary, we'll see how everything goes!


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